Homeless Children Essay - 3565 Words

Introduction In the United States, 1.5 million children are homeless. 1.5 million children are without adequate shelter, nourishment, healthcare, or education. When a child is homeless, it is not just a house that they are without. They are more likely than other children to experience hunger, constant illness, mental disorders, and developmental delays.1 Being homeless negatively affects a child’s overall welfare and ability to thrive within their community throughout their childhood and into their adulthood. It impedes their ability to live a healthy life and gain an adequate education, as children who are homeless face far more obstacles, such as increased health risks and lack of educational opportunities, than children who aren’t†¦show more content†¦Preventing and ending child homelessness must be a priority for both the U.S. government and the U.S. community. The Affects of Child Homelessness on Health, Hunger, Disorders, Development, and Education â€Å"Homelessness itself can make children sick.†2 Being homeless has an extremely adverse and detrimental effect on a child’s health and well-being. Children who are homeless are more susceptible to health risks because of their poor environment and impoverished lifestyle and have less access to healthcare. The increased amount of health risks plus the lack of healthcare results in the growth of serious illnesses which often go untreated. Risks often begin before a child is born, as it is likely that the mother has been living in poverty, under-nourished, abusing substances, and not receiving adequate prenatal care.3 Children who are born in this condition have a lower birth weight and poor immune system, often suffering from anemia, meaning that they will need specialized care from the start. As they age, children cannot fight off disease and illness as well as non-homeless children, they are two times as likely to visit the hospital in one year, have respiratory in fections, and experience more chronic health problems overall.45 Because homeless children tend to stay in poor conditions and unsafe environments, they are more prone to suffer from lead poisoning, which in its mostShow MoreRelatedHomeless Child Education : Homeless Children1678 Words   |  7 PagesHomeless Children Education Several factors severely compromise the ability of homeless children to succeed in school, as I discovered in interviews with 277 homeless families in New York City in 1988. Barriers to the success of these children include health problems, hunger, transportation obstacles, and difficulty obtaining school clothes and suppliesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ all of which are linked to low attendance rates (Rafferty and Rollins 1989). Other factors are associated with the nature of the emergency shelterRead MoreHomeless Children And Youth Assistance Act979 Words   |  4 PagesStarke as we are getting at least two to three new students who are considered homeless and put under the McKinney-Vento Act. â€Å"The McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistance Act is a federal law that ensures immediate enrollment and educational stability for homeless children and youth. McKinney-Vento provides federal funding to states for the purpose of supporting district programs that serve hom eless students† ( With my mother being the McKinny-Vinto liaison in Bradford countyRead MoreEssay about Homeless Children In America1111 Words   |  5 PagesHomeless Children in America   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To be homeless is to not have a home or a permanent place of residence. Nationwide, there is estimated to be 3.5 million people that are homeless, and roughly 1.35 million of them are children. It is shown that homeless rates, which are the number of sheltered beds in a city divided by the cities population, have tripled since the 1980’s (National Coalition for Homeless, 2014). Worldwide, it is estimated that 100 million children live and work on the streets.Read MoreWhy Children Alone Or With Their Families Become Homeless?1108 Words   |  5 PagesImagine feeling hopeless, lost, and alone. Feeling like all doors have closed, and knowing surviving day by day is your daily task. Surprisingly, â€Å"[a] staggering 2.5 million children are now homeless each year,†countless innocent children and their families are impacted by a destitute life style (â€Å"National Center†). Fortunately, efforts are being made to address homelessness constructive ly. Statewide organizations such as Covenant House and local organizations like The Maslow Project are hopingRead MoreHomeless Children : The Poverty Rate, Lack Of Affordable Housing And Single Parent Households1476 Words   |  6 PagesHomeless Children According to recent reports child homelessness, an estimated 2.5 million children are homeless in the United States. Sadly, nearly half of these children are under the age of five. In fact, one in every thirty children is considered homeless and the numbers continue to increase annually (Bassuk, E., DeCandia, C., Beach, C., Berman, F., 2014) Though many factors contribute to this social epidemic, the high poverty rate, lack of affordable housing and single parent households areRead MoreThe Problem Of Homeless Children963 Words   |  4 Pagespeople think about what kind of individuals are homeless, they often conceive of a shabbily dressed, elder male sitting in the front of a random doorway, with a wine bottle in a brown paper bag. However, homelessness for the past years has begun to be more visible. Homeless children are portrayed in welfare and academic literature as a category of children at risk. Whatever transpires in early childhood can affect a child s lifestyle. In young children, the results are harsh. Stress can result fromRead More A Rhetorical Examination of The Homeless and Their Children Essay1281 Words   |  6 PagesIn â€Å"The Homeless and Their Children†, author Jonathon Kozol explains how poverty and homelessness can go hand in hand, but he also shows his readers that the government in New York City during the 1980’s did not really attempt to assist those in need. The author shows us how the homeless and illiterate struggled by sharing with us an interview with a young woman called Laura who resided in a massive welfare hotel. Kozol did not find it necessary to write this piece in a persuasive tone, or a compassionateRead MoreHomeless Families With Children By Megan Krueger Essay1467 Words   |  6 PagesHomeless Families with Children Introduction Homelessness continues to be a widespread issue in the United States. Homeless families with children, in particular, undergo their own unique experiences compared to the rest of the homeless population. In order to thoroughly understand homeless families, it is important to analyze the causes of homelessness, the families’ lived experiences while homeless, the policies that perpetuate their homelessness, and the effects of homelessness on all familyRead More Homeless Children and the Educational System Essay2484 Words   |  10 PagesHomeless Children and the Educational System Many people still think of homeless transients as alcoholics and/or mentally disabled. The truth is, the current homeless population consists of runaway adolescents, single adult males or females, battered women and over one million homeless families with children – typically headed by a female parent. To be homeless means that one’s primary residence is a public or private shelter, emergency housing, hotel, motel, living with family or friendsRead MoreHealth Disparities Among Homeless Women And Their Children1015 Words   |  5 Pages Health Disparities Among Homeless Women and Their Children Geraldine Barron Denver School of Nursing Cohort C â€Æ' Health Disparities Among Homeless Women and Their Children Health care disparities is known for its vulnerability among low income and minority status populations. Of most concern are the vulnerable population subgroups known by the harsh environments in which they live, their endangered and unhealthy life styles and the illnesses and injuries that afflict them. â€Å"These subpopulations